


Leather Jacket

by scorchedtitan



Series: when times were tough in the worst years (we never knew how to interfere) [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Shameless use of canon dialogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-27 01:24:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9944108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scorchedtitan/pseuds/scorchedtitan
Summary: It takes some time for Jaune and Ruby to rebuild when senior year starts.





	

_Hundreds of stories before I showed up_

_They'd tell them to me and pull photos up_

_They're all connected like a pair of handcuffs_

_No one seemed affected that everyone had fucked_

* * *

 Jaune Arc grimaced as he stood before the doors of Beacon. 7:54 o'clock. Senior year. He had a binder full of summer papers, a gut full of butterflies, and a necklace full of memories.

What would Pyrrha say?

He pushed past through the doors and the crowd as he headed towards the office. Some people like Sun and Neptune had their eyes light up as they saw him, but no one said anything. That was, until Nora and Ren took up step behind him. Anyone else, and he might’ve been upset.

Nora shifted, and Ren’s grimace was audible. Afraid of what he might see, Jaune tilted his gaze subtly.

Silver eyes were staring at him, and quickly looked away.

Ren and Nora departed him at the office as the bell rung. They took a second before both squeezed his hands and left.

“Mr. Arc,” Headmaster Ozpin said as he entered, despite his chair being turned around. Jaune gulped. Ozpin had an odd knack for knowing where everyone was at all times. He’d heard Nora speculate the man was actually a ghost or something, but they usually brushed it off. But nonetheless, it was spooky. “How good of you to join us for senior year.” Anyone else and that might’ve been sarcastic.

“I couldn’t stay home forever,” Jaune replied as he laid his binder on Ozpin’s desk. “I’ve got my summer work with me.”

Ozpin turned around and flipped lazily through the binder. “How are you, Mr. Arc?”

Jaune tried to keep his face passive. “I’m...better."

Ozpin hummed. “Quite a bit of time you took off.”

“I needed to grieve,” Jaune insisted. “I couldn’t stay here. I kept seeing her everywhere. It was torture.” He’d rehearsed this answer in his head constantly, having to tell it to numerous people over the summer. Eventually most people had stopped asking.

“Her?” Ozpin questioned. “As in Miss Nikos?”

Jaune peered at him. “Who else could I be talking about?”

Ozpin hummed again. “Mr. Arc, have you kept up with your friends over the summer?”

“I talked to Ren and Nora a bit. They’ve kept me updated, and helped me with projects. I called Coco and her friends to congratulate them on graduating.”

The principal peered down at him, and Jaune felt his heart stop for a second. The headmaster’s eyes were a green most people had never seen. It was a dull, time-worn color, but promised some hint of life. And when he looked at people, really looked at them, it was like time stopped. Ozpin could psychoanalyze someone in a second, because he had all the time in the world, rumor had it. He rarely appeared at assemblies, and Jaune could see why. He’d built his persona among students, and it had paid off in how deep the man came off.

“And Miss Rose? You two were quite close, and you both lost loved ones in the same accident,” Ozpin questioned, and time crashed together. Jaune felt his heart beat again, but much more erratically.

He wanted to lie, say he and Ruby had talked constantly. He knew this would be a mistake. “I haven’t spoken to Ruby since the funeral.”

Ozpin leaned back. “You should get to first period, Jaune. I hear Professor Goodwitch isn’t starting an easy year.”

Jaune grabbed his bag and left. He saw a black dress and red coat down the hall as he exited, and he ran to class.

* * *

  _But there was a softness, some kind of understanding_

_Those 2am decisions are always shaking landings_

_No one ever knew what could be demanded_

_Maybe it's the cards, the cards she was handed_

* * *

 He’d see glimpses of the same silver eyes and black and red outfit throughout the day. Each and every time, she’d look away or he’d run.

It was finally towards the end of lunch that Jaune was storing his new textbooks in his locker and he heard a clash of metal against metal next to him. He jumped, then tensed. Squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his teeth for a second to get his bearing, he turned his head. “Yang.”

Yang Xiao Long may have been shorter than him, but every inch of her frame was muscle, topped off with a prosthetic she wasn't afraid of damaging if it made an effective club, as proven by the dent it had just made in the locker next to him. Purple eyes stared bullet holes into him. “You need to talk to her.”

“Who, might I ask?” he shot, not in the mood to deal with the other blonde.

Yang sighed. “Don't give me that, Jaune. Ruby's your best friend.”

Jaune grimaced. She was going for the gut shots. “Oh, I thought that my best friend was Fox. I mean, I've certainly spent so much time with him.”

“Maybe you have, as far as I know,” Yang countered. “Given that since the funeral, you haven't seen any of the rest of us.”

He sighed. “I was grieving.”

“Ruby's your best friend, and she's the only one who lost like you did. And yet you pushed her away,” Yang finally snapped. “So she was too.”

Jaune tensed harder and blocked. “Ruby was full-on girlfriends with Penny. That was me and Pyrrha's third date and first kiss. Wouldn't call it the exact same.”

Yang sneered, temper lost. “‘Pyrrha and I’, dumbass. Thought you wanted to be an English major.” She took a second to crack her neck in an obvious show of superiority. “And given the way you grieved, you sure did take it hard for a goddamn third date.” Yang didn't let him start again, finally going for a verbal uppercut. “Because god knows if I hadn't had her and dad around after my accident, I would've done something stupid. And I'm still not happy with Blake for leaving me then. And I did not want to see the same happen to my sister." She gave a light shove to Jaune's chest and walked off. “So go talk to her, between now and Neptune’s usual party.”

Jaune wanted to chase after her and hit back. But he knew. He'd lost this match.

* * *

  _You called me up from a pay phone_

_I said hang tight, I can drive you home_

_I pulled on up and with a southern accent_

_I offered you my dad's leather jacket_

* * *

 Jaune bumped into her finally and fully when he went out to the track after school the next day. With nothing better to do, he’d figured he’d go out and see if anything had changed. Not like it would, Beacon Academy had pretty much stayed the same for a hundred years.

Ruby was out there, running laps. Sweat beaded her brow as her lean legs pounded the earth beneath her. Her coat was discarded on a bench, leaving a plain black tee. Her red headphones pounded with music Jaune could hear from the stands. She was entirely focused on her jog.

He thought about leaving. His hand betrayed him as he waved timidly.

Ruby glanced up and gulped. She slowed to a stride and beckoned him down.

Jaune tried hopping over a bench and fell flat on his face. He rolled over and groaned, covering his eyes. “Howdy,” he called, hearing her footsteps. He removed his hand from his face.

Ruby looked at him from above with a small smile (one of her faker ones, he could tell), the afternoon sun framing her face in a vague attempt to turn her tan skin totally white in lighting. “Hey.”

Jaune fumbled for words. “Thought track didn’t start meets yet.”

She shrugged noncommittally. “They haven’t. Just had some steam to blow off.” She pulled out her lucky bullet from her pants pocket and rolled it in her fingers, getting some excess comfort from the familiar stimming motion.

Jaune sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He had an idea why she had steam to blow off. He couldn’t imagine seeing him today felt that great. “Yeah. You tell Yang?”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “No, uh. Crud. She’s probably left already. I think she might’ve gone to spar with Mercury.”

Jaune paused for a second. Thinking about it. He figured he’d ask. “Need a ride?”

Ruby’s eyes widened and she looked down and away. She toyed with the bullet, thinking for a bit. Finally she spoke quietly.

“I think Uncle Qrow’s off today, I’ll call him.”

The rejection stung Jaune worse than he expected. He shouldn’t have asked. He shouldn’t have come down here, confronted her like this. Yang was wrong, he didn’t have the guts for this. He silently stood up and handed her her coat. “Don’t forget.”

Ruby grabbed it and shrugged it on. She slipped the bullet back into her pocket. Jaune played with his own necklace.

He spun to walk off, and he heard a tiny voice behind him. Ruby was clearly trying to stay quiet, hoping he wouldn’t hear her.

“I’m glad you’re back.”

He chose not to acknowledge it as he climbed back up the stands.

* * *

  _I met her at a party, she'd come straight from work_

_Complained that the regulars were all a bunch of jerks_

_She always looked tired but she dazzled as a drunk_

_She even pulled off that stupid haircut_

* * *

Jaune spent a few days re-socializing. He gave a fistbump to Neptune and promised to be at his party the next Friday. He went to Flynt’s concert Thursday afternoon. He went to study hall and goofed off with Nora, ignoring Miss Goodwitch. He met with his teachers to discuss any important lessons he’d missed and college goals for the future.

It was finally Saturday when Weiss Schnee of all people called him for coffee. Before Pyrrha, he would’ve jumped at the oppurtunity, shown up in his best Sunday formal, bought a limousine, the whole shebang.

Instead he showed up at the coffee in his bunny hoodie and some ratty track pants he’d clearly rolled out of bed in. Weiss regarded him from a table with a measure of contempt, sipping her (and he unfortunately knew this by heart) white chocolate mocha latte with cream. He bought a cheap ham sandwich and a cappuccino and joined her.

“Jaune,” she said in a clipped tone.

He grunted, biting into his sandwich. She rolled her eyes before continuing.

“You seem better,” she stated. “How was your first week back?”

Jaune shrugged, gesturing with his sandwich. “It was pretty normal. Other than meeting with teachers. My god, Port can give a lecture. Mind if I ask you a favor?”

Weiss looked at him. “What do you mean, favor?” She sipped her coffee. “I thought the great Jaune Arc wasn’t fond of getting help. I mean-”

He cut her off before she could continue. “Weiss. Please don’t dance around stuff with me. You’ve always been the alpha woman, the popular girl. I expect soft and polite with Yang, Ruby, and the rest, but for the love of god, give it to me straight.”

Weiss regarded him for a few long seconds. Her nails tapped at the wooden table. The cafe almost seemed silent, bar the gentle clicks. It was infuriating as she stared into him, almost like she was trying to disassemble him with her mind. Finally the question came out.

“How much did you care about Pyrrha?”

Jaune sighed. “We were starting to da-”

She cut him off with an index finger pressed to his lips, continuing to stare. In a low voice, she asked again, slowly withdrawing the digit. “How much did you care about Pyrrha?”

Jaune grimaced. “I...well, I trusted her with my life. In a sense, I loved her. I had the capacity to love her. I don’t know.”

Weiss sipped at her coffee, throat bobbing as she gulped the drink down. She closed her eyes for a second and brought her index finger and thumb to run across her eyelids, squeezing against the bridge of her nose. She laid her hand back down slowly and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, clear water contrasted gently against ice blue irises. “I loved her too,” she admitted in a low voice. “And it stung that she ended up with you, in the end.” She took another breath and cleared her eyes. Her pupils refocused. “How much do you care about Ruby?”

Jaune had always known about Weiss’ crush on Pyrrha, but had never thought about how deep it ran. But the second question caught him off guard. “I...trust her too. She’s my best friend.”

Weiss stared at him again, glaring now. “You shouldn’t have abandoned her. Just because you lost Pyrrha didn’t mean you were going to lose Ruby. And she lost the same as both of us.”

Jaune sighed, “I heard the same from Yang, believe me.”

Weiss sipped again and set the cup down, finally empty. “But I assume she didn’t get you to admit your feelings? It was just a normal, Yang-style, avoidance-filled pep talk?”

Jaune shrugged. “Hey, she got me to talk to Ruby, if for five seconds later that day.”

Weiss rubbed her chin. “That’s fair. Personally, to be honest, Jaune? I would want to tell you to avoid Ruby, that what you did was awful.” She shrugged though. “But she told me she wanted to see you again.”

Jaune was taken aback by this. He’d tried to reject Ruby’s tiny admission from that last Monday, but it had stuck in his mind. He could see Weiss’ viewpoint far easier than he could see Ruby’s. He was about to speak when she finished.

“But she needs some time.”

Jaune thought and nodded. That made sense.

Weiss phone buzzed and she grimaced. “I have to go. Father needs me.” She stood up, just barely towering over a seated Jaune. She stared him dead in the eyes. “Take care of yourself, and remember to take care of those around you.”

She left him behind with a half-eaten sandwich and a face of shame.

* * *

  _She said "I don't need a sponsor or the best lover_

_Some man that sees me as some fixer-upper"._

_The last few years I've been running for cover_

_Trying to sleep so I can visit my mother"_

* * *

 Jaune was at an intersection headed to pick up some groceries a week later when he made a rash decision. He took a left instead of heading straight, following a winding road up the hill towards the Vasilias house.

It was at the crossroads between Beacon Lane and Emerald Forest Drive where he saw it for the first time since the funeral. It surprised him a little that it was still up, but to be fair, Pyrrha had been one of the town’s most popular residents, and Penny had been the daughter of one of the most influential politicians in the state.

A small wreath decorated the old payphone on the curbside. Long-burnt out candles and refreshed and artificial flowers surrounded two pictures that were just starting to fade from exposure. The two girls were pictured, their last school photos of them smiling. He pulled over and got out, biting his lower lip. A small sign made by Ren read what Pyrrha had meant for her senior quote to be. Jaune read the inscription out loud.

“For it is in passing, we achieve immortality.”

He heard steps and a gentle gasp behind him and spun around.

Ruby Rose stared him in the eyes, taking a step back in shock. Dark red and light orange roses almost fell from her fingertips before she tightened her grip. It took her a moment to stumble over her words. “Hey,” she finally squeaked.

He too stumbled. “What are you doing here?”

She frowned, put off by his lack of a greeting back. “I come here a lot. If I have to talk to Penny and Pyrrha about something.” She shrugged, fiddling with the roses. “It’s the same as I do with my mother.”

He nodded. Summer Rose had been a war hero and loving mother, and her picture hung in the Town Hall, courtesy of her friend, Governor Ironwood. It was no secret that Ruby admired her mother.

She walked forward and he stepped aside. He fidgeted with his necklace, hooking and unhooking it. “I should go,” he said quietly as she laid the flowers down. “If you need some privacy, I should go.”

Ruby breathed in and looked up at him. Her eyes zeroed in on his necklace. She stood and took his hand off of it. “That was Pyrrha’s,” she chided gently. “You shouldn’t be so rough with it.”

He frowned softly. “It’s withstood so far. I thought-I thought about leaving it with her at the funeral, but I guess I was too selfish.”

Ruby shook her head and pouted. “No, she would’ve wanted you to have it. She gave it to you, after all. Just need to take care of it.” Swift fingers sprung up to his neck and he had to restrain from pulling back in shock. “See? This hook’s a bit bent.” Ruby adjusted it with the softest part of her index finger. “All better.”

Realizing the position she was in, Ruby let go and looked away, a slight blush to her cheeks. She spoke softly once again. “What I had to say can wait. It’s good you’re here. She would’ve wanted you here.”

Jaune smiled, but remembered what Weiss had said the previous day. “I’m grateful, Ruby. But I have groceries to buy. Kinda took a detour coming up here.”

She frowned, disappointment visible, but shrugged. “See you later, then.”

He got into his pickup truck and drove off, leaving a dejected Ruby behind. His hand went to his necklace again.

* * *

  _You called me up from a pay phone_

_I said hang tight, I can drive you home_

_I pulled on up and with a southern accent_

_I offered you my dad's leather jacket_

* * *

 The rest of the month was fairly uneventful, and played out like most school days. Then came Neptune’s party.

The Vasilias family was the third richest in the city, Neptune’s fathers both having been in a boy band when they were younger. They’d gone on to become fairly successful (if toned down) musicians, and went on a lot of trips. This freed their son to host the most parties of anyone at Beacon, as the Schnee family was generally reserved and Coco had moved to college.

Jaune found himself in the kitchen as pop music blared in the background. In addition to their own music, the Vasilias men had a collection of everything that had been on the Top 40 lists since their childhood. Jaune sipped a Coke to the blaring beat of the Achieve Men’s cover of “The Final Countdown”, engaged in watching an argument between Nora and Sun over whether the band was better when Geoff sang or Michael did. It was an eternal debate over which side of the band was better: the older Gents or the younger Lads.

“Jauune,” Nora cried to him. “You gotta admit that Geoff’s older tone is way cooler than Michael’s punk!”

Sun sneered. “No way! Jaune knows that Michael has a way better style than Geoff. Team Lads for life!”

Jaune shrugged, smiling. “Eh, I like Gavin best. ‘Villagers on The Roof’ is underrated.”

Nora and Sun both rolled their eyes. They could at least agree that Jaune’s taste in music was basic at best. As their discussion carried them away, Jaune felt a subtle prickle at the back of his neck, almost like danger was afoot.

“Come here often?” a sultry voice asked in his ear, and he fought down a recoil. Cinder Fall was a transfer student of ill-repute at Beacon Academy. She had a certain mysterious air to her, only associating herself with a very small clique. She was visibly slightly older than everyone else, and no one knew why. Some said she’d entered school late due to being an orphan for some time. Others said Cinder had spent time in juvie, possibly for arson. It was definitely known that she had some connections to some shady people, as photos had once emerged of her with a well known mobster who’d been busted the summer before junior year, though the pictures had disappeared just as quickly as they were seen. The real mystery to Jaune was why she was talking to him.

Jaune turned to look at her and coughed into his fist. “Hello, Cinder. How are you?”

She smiled like a vulture eyeing a future meal, taking a sip of some smuggled-in wine. “As good as I can be. Haven’t seen you around in a long time, Jaune.”

Jaune furrowed his brow and took a chance at danger with a witty response. “I wasn’t aware you’d ever seen me at all.”

Cinder laughed, and he fought down a sudden burning in his throat. Her breath smelt of alcohol, but she was as refined as ever. “I keep tabs on everyone, Mr. Arc, just like Ozpin.” She adjusted her own necklace. “Nonetheless, I must be honest. I’m sorry for your loss.”

This stung Jaune. Everyone had said it at the funeral, but Cinder hadn’t actually been there. He’d hardly known she knew him at all. “Don’t, uh, don’t mention it…,” he mumbled.

Cinder regarded him once more. “Ms. Nikos was our finest athlete. To have dated someone like you, well, she must have seen something special in you.” She gestured with one hand. “I mean, I’m sure she’s glad of how you’ve managed to recover.”

Jaune felt like he shouldn’t look away, like he was talking to a smart animal that would snap the second he broke eye contact. Nonetheless, he stared down into his drink before finishing it in one gulp. He stared out at the crowd and spotted Ruby, talking animatedly to her own friends in the crowd. In turn, she saw him, and as their eyes met, her mouth came to a halt. Something in his gut welled up.

“I’m honored to have known her,” Cinder continued. He felt like he was being toyed with, and he took a laborious breath. “Such a shame that a beauty was cut down so young.”

Jaune tensed. “I think,” he began, and stuttered. “I think I should-I should get going.” He stepped away from her as she huffed in disappointment. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ruby, going to get a drink from the bar, but he left her alone and headed outside. The world was a blur around him as he got into his pickup and drove home.

* * *

  _When times were tough in the worst years_

_We never knew how to interfere_

_Now you're back and just unpacking_

_Those bruised up takers you keep attracting_

* * *

 Jaune stumbled up the driveway of his family farm and through his front door wheezing, trying to get a grip on himself. Somewhere in the house one of his sisters called his name, but he paid it no mind as he shut his door and collapsed on his bed. He stared up at his ceiling and carefully unclasped his necklace. Pyrrha’s necklace. His necklace. He couldn’t tell. He didn’t care.

He thought of that last night with Pyrrha. He chuckled bitterly as he remembered they’d spent their last night at one of Neptune’s parties.

_They’d been set up in the kitchen, same as Jaune and Cinder had been just a little while before. He was sipping a Coke, albeit one laced with rum, and she’d grabbed an energy drink from the fridge._

_“You really shouldn’t drink,” she’d murmured into his ear as she had taken his arm. He squeezed her tight. He remembered thinking her red dress looked gorgeous on her. “S’not good for you.” She was tired, having spent most of the afternoon at volleyball practice._

_“It’s a weekend,” he murmured back._

_She clicked her tongue. “You know, you’ve got a good life ahead of you. You shouldn’t drink it all away.”_

_Jaune shrugged, using a stirrer to mix his cocktail before taking a drink. The liquor burned his throat somewhat. He sighed as it slipped down his neck, feeling it settle in his chest, staring down at what was left in his cup. “I’m nothing special compared to any other teenager.”_

_Pyrrha pouted and groaned. “You’re special to me.” And with that, she pulled his drink away from his chest and kissed him._

_For a first kiss, it wasn’t bad. She tasted of iron and steel, the cold early-March air flavoring her breath. The energy drink was hardly noticeable as he slipped oddly effortlessly into the kiss. It was surprisingly natural. Something burned in his throat, and he heard a small gasp from nearby._

_Pyrrha pulled away from him, blushing and smiling. His lidded eyes could barely register that she was much more embarrassed than him, much more shocked than him despite having initiated the kiss. He wasn’t sure if he was drunk on love or alcohol anymore._

_“Uh, hey…,” Ruby pulled him out of his daze. His head snapped to attention to look at her. She had a blush of her own, and was averting her eyes as she toyed with the hem of her dress. It looked stunning too. “If you guys are done, Penny kinda just called me? She needs a ride up and you guys have licenses.”_

_Pyrrha smiled, blush barely fading. “Jaune’s had a little to drink, but I’ll go, Ruby.” She set her drink down on the counter and squeezed Jaune in a hug, too afraid to go for another kiss. “Walk me out, Jaune?”_

_He accompanied her out, holding her hand. Ruby gave her a hug of her own. Jaune remembered black and gold contrasting as red blended together. He helped Pyrrha into her car, opening the door for her. She took her necklace off and clipped it around his neck before closing the door herself._

_“I’m glad to know you, Jaune,” Pyrrha smiled as she started the car. He paused for a second as she pulled away from the curb._

_“I love you!” he shouted, a half-second before she turned out of view._

Something snapped him out of his reverie, and he realized he had been flipping the necklace over and over in his hands. He didn’t want to remember Ruby’s calls hours after, her how she said her uncle had found them after an accident was called in. He didn’t want to remember, and was conveniently distracted by his phone ringing. He barely registered the time saying 2 hours had gone by since he left Neptune’s party.

It was an unknown number, and he gambled on hearing it out. As he clicked the ‘talk’ button, a slight crackle was heard.

“Jaune?” Ruby’s voice asked. Before he could ask, she continued. Even through the spotty phone, he could hear tears staining her voice. “I’m at the payphone. The one where-. My phone died, and Yang was gone and-” she gasped. “I need-I need you to pick me up.”

Wordlessly the line clicked off. Jaune was already out the door.

* * *

  _In September when it goes off, like some goddamn alarm clock._

_And it hits her like a third shot, conversations she just stares off_

_There's no longer a voice calling, when she goes out, saying_

_"I'll be up waiting for you"_

* * *

 Jaune pulled up to the payphone where Ruby stood. Her mascara ran down her cheeks as she grinned weakly at him. Rolling down the window, he faked a southern accent and tried to crack “Howdy. Heard you were lost in this neighborhood, lil lady. Just gotta ask, why you using a pay phone in this day and age?”

Ruby didn’t bother with faking a smile of her own and got in on the other side. They sat in silence for a while, before he said “My dad's leather jacket should be on the floor, if you're cold.” She leaned down to pick it up and put it on, shivering against the still-cold leather sliding against her bare arms.

“T-Thanks, Jaune.”

The silence continued as he started the truck and pulled away from the curb. The Xiao Long-Rose household was some 40 minutes away, and he prayed it stayed this way for as long as possible.

“Jaune,” Ruby cut through his thoughts. He suppressed a curse. “Do...do you ever feel this way? Miss Pyrrha like this?"

He thought of her, pulling away in her car from him in much the same manner. Her face framed by the dim light of her dashboard as she went to pick up Penny. He thought of sitting at home, turning her necklace over in his hands when his phone rang and he heard Ruby's voice.  

He looked over at her face. The mascara ran and she was in her most vulnerable state. He didn't want to hurt her, but he still had to be truthful.

“Just as much as you miss Penny.”

She sobbed briefly, and he decided to continue. “I miss her because she saw something special in me. I miss her because she was always trying to look out for me. I miss her because she was beautiful. I miss her because it felt like she was immortal. I miss her because I never truly got to tell her how I feel. I miss her because I loved her.”

Ruby by now was huddled in the jacket. Sobs wracked her frame. “So why’d you leave?” she demanded. Her voice reminded him of Weiss’, when she had admitted her own love for Pyrrha. “Why couldn’t you tell me?”

Jaune sighed as they rolled up to a stop sign. “I couldn’t tell you because I love you too. I couldn’t take away, undermine your grief. And I shouldn’t have done it. Because everything in my life tells me you care about me too. And we’re stronger together, we’re stronger because we feel the same way. But I thought-I thought everyone else moved on. Everyone else moved on and I couldn’t, and I damned myself and you for it. I didn’t want to face that I loved Pyrrha, because I didn’t want to face that you felt the same way.”

Ruby sniffled, and then sobbed again. “I shouldn’t have dragged you out here.”

Jaune sighed, finally coming to terms with himself. “Have you gone out a lot since the funeral?” he asked sincerely.

Ruby gulped. “Uh...no. This was my first time going back to a party. I-I spent some time with the others, but usually they brought me out. I wanted-I wanted to make sure everyone was okay.”

Jaune grimaced. They’d tried that with him. He’d resisted. “Ruby,” He began solemnly. “We lost-we lost Pyrrha. You lost her too. And Penny. You lost your mother, and for a brief time, your sister. But you’re still here, despite everything you’ve lost, everything you could still lose, you chose to come out here, because you felt like you could make a difference.” He stopped the truck once more, to look her dead in the eyes. Silver contrasted with blue as he uttered the last part. “You gave me the courage to follow you.”

She stared back at him, and he pressed the gas.

* * *

  _You called me up from a pay phone_

_I said hang tight, I can drive you home_

_I pulled on up and with a southern accent_

_I offered you my dad's leather jacket_

* * *

 They rolled up to Ruby’s own driveway in silence. The shed door was open, and even in the dark of the night, Jaune could see a slight glimpse of the yellow of Yang’s motorcycle. A police car was in the front, but he knew well enough that it was Qrow’s.

Ruby broke the quiet like a warm knife through plastic, fizzing and popping at the seams. “Do you remember when I called you, that night?” she eked out.

Jaune silently cursed again. “Yeah.”

Ruby toyed with her dress, pulling out her signature bullet for the first time that night. “After Uncle Qrow told me what happened, what he’d found. You-you were my first thought.”

Jaune shrugged. Of course he was, she’d just seen him and Pyrrha kissing hours before. But then she continued.

“You were my first thought, not because of Pyrrha. But because I knew I could trust you. Because I cared about you.”

Jaune’s throat went dry.

“It hurt when you disappeared. It hurt carrying that weight on my shoulders, because even Yang and Uncle Qrow and Weiss and Blake and Nora and Sun and everyone else couldn’t feel the same way as I did, and I knew you did.”

He felt like throwing up.

“But I-I lost faith. I lost faith for a while. But you came back. You tried again. And I didn’t want to acknowledge how I felt, just like you didn’t. But sometimes-.” Ruby cut herself off and started again. “Believe me when I say, I know it can feel impossible, like every single day is a struggle against some unstoppable monster we can never hope to beat. But we have to try, if not for us, then for the people we've already-then for the people we haven't lost yet. And you tried.”

Jaune looked her in the eye once more. And she took her shot.

It was sudden, a fast movement. His eyes widened as she all but crashed her lips into his. It was a lot less elegant and a lot shorter than what had happened when he and Pyrrha kissed. She tasted of strawberries and roses, even through her fumbled motions. He found his hands at her back and she broke away.

“I care about you, Jaune. You’re special to me,” she said. “Please. Please don’t leave again.”

He hugged her and held her close, her small frame bumping against the drive stick. She let out a small noise, and he wasn’t sure if it was of pain or of contentment.

“I won’t leave, Ruby. I won’t make the same mistake twice,” he comforted her.

* * *

  _When times were tough in the worst years_

_We never knew how to interfere_

_Now you're back and just unpacking_

_Those bruised up takers you keep attracting_

* * *

 They were lucky that it was Qrow and not Yang or Taiyang who found them in the morning, Ruby serenely sleeping, head rested on Jaune’s chest in as comfortable a position as they could get in the cramped cabin of Jaune’s pickup truck. The blonde had carefully wiped off her running mascara before settling his arm across her back.

Qrow knocked softly on the hood of his truck. Jaune roused slightly, opening one eye at the gray-haired man who was caught in an odd expression between smirk and frown. “Hey kid,” the older man said. “You and my niece interested in coming in for breakfast?”

Ruby stirred, using one hand to protect her eyes from the rising sun. “Uncle Qroooow,” she whined. “Please tell me you’re not cooking.” She curled closer to Jaune, taking comfort in the warmth of his sweater.

Qrow chuckled. “Figure I’d treat you two, got a late shift. How’s iHop in the squad car sound?”

Ruby climbed over Jaune to get out, him groaning as she accidentally elbowed him. “Only with sugar,” she slurred, still very tired.

Jaune climbed out after her, and Qrow hung back as she walked towards the police car. “So, you two doing better?” the older man asked, taking a swig from a hidden flask.

Jaune didn’t even question how Qrow knew about his and Ruby’s friendship, if it could be called that at this point. He watched Ruby, climbing into the car’s backseat before gently dropping back into sleep, mouth clearly mumbling about some delicacy. The morning sun and gray September sky framed the back of the visual.

“I think we’re going to be fine.”

* * *

  _You called me up from a pay phone_

_Ouu_

_You called me up from a pay phone_

_Ouu_

_You called me up from a pay phone_

_Ouu_

_You called me up from a pay phone_

_And I said who the fuck uses a payphone_

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even like Lancaster that much, but when inspiration strikes, HOO BOY. (The song, for the record, is 'Leather Jacket' by the Arkells.)


End file.
